Orange City Council Hopefuls Fade Away

Only Two Candidates Have Filed The Papers Needed To Run, But Nearly Two Weeks Of Qualifying Lie Ahead.

August 25, 2001|By Sean Mussenden, Sentinel Staff Writer

ORANGE CITY--As candidates shuffle into position for the fall election, the political tsunami that churned through Orange City only a few months ago has all but rolled gently out to sea.

In the wake of former City Manager John McCue's firing in May, nine residents immediately signaled interest in the three council seats up for grabs in November.

But with just a couple of days before qualifying begins Monday, only two have filed all the signed petitions required to run.

Meanwhile, three others have backed away -- and more might follow.

Possible candidate Bill Deas, a familiar face in city politics who early on signaled he might run against incumbent council member Gary Blair, said Friday he isn't sure anymore.

"I'm undecided, not a hundred percent. I've had a little problem with arson," Deas said.

Deas' son, William C. Deas, was charged last week with setting fire to a sport-utility vehicle he co-owned with his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, the sea of orange shirts from the Save Orange City political action committee that packed into council meetings for weeks after McCue's firing has been practically invisible in recent months.

The committee's de facto leader, Bill DeVane, said this week that his orange shirts would be back in force soon to remind council members that they are still around.

Of the three incumbents, only one has said he's definitely running -- Blair. Council member Jim Mahoney has said he doesn't plan to run again, and Harold Casteel said last month he had not made up his mind. He did not return phone calls Friday.

Donald Sherrill, who, along with Charles Abell, has filed all the signatures needed to run, is running for Casteel's seat. The other potential candidates have until Sept. 6 to qualify.

"I'm just waiting to see who I'm running against. I've got a feeling Harold Casteel isn't going to run," he said.

Charles E. Taylor, a former city building official who said in the past he might also run against Casteel, could not be reached for comment Friday.

Abell is running for Mahoney's seat, and apparently he will have a challenger.

Joseph Warrensford, son of former council member Ed Warrensford, said Friday he has collected all the necessary signatures to run but hasn't turned them in yet.

"Because of my father's name everyone knows me. I don't even need to run a campaign to win . . . and once I get in there it's gonna be one big hell-raising party," he said.